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Dickey
How to Pronounce Dickey
Pronounced DIK-ee /ΛdΙͺk.i/High
Meaning: Dickey is an affectionate pet form of Richard, built on the old nickname Dick with a friendly -ey ending. Richard comes from the Germanic 'ric' (ruler) and 'hard' (brave, strong), so 'brave ruler' or 'strong leader', a meaning Dickey carries.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Dickey is a diminutive of Richard, through the old short form Dick. Richard descends from the Germanic 'ric', ruler, and 'hard', brave or strong β 'brave ruler'. Warm and boyish, Dickey was sometimes set down as a legal first name in the earlier twentieth century rather than kept as a mere nickname.
As a given name it was a rarity, cresting faintly in the late nineteen-forties before fading. It reads as a mid-century nickname-name, friendly and dated, and has not returned as a formal first name.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Dickey mean?
Dickey is a pet form of Richard, from Germanic roots meaning 'brave ruler'.
How do you pronounce Dickey?
It's said DIK-ee /ΛdΙͺk.i/ β two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Dickey a boy or girl name?
Dickey is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Dickey?
Dickey has always been rare as a formal name, a mid-century pet form most seen in the nineteen-forties.